The Christmas Special
by Beautiful Allusion
Summary: Follows Gibbs and his children  team as family  through all the different christmas celebrations they have after the loss of a family member, the gaining of a new one, marraiges, divorces and the importance of family overall. Coming of Age. Stands Alone.
1. Tannenbaum

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or any of its recognisable characters. I make no profit from this story but wish you enjoyment from it anyway.

**Important: **Currently there are a total of 6 chapters to this story. They begin when all the 'kids' are very young and are therefore in other POV's (eg. Ducky). Each chapter shall be posted in order and the story will end with a New Year's Eve chapter posted on New Year's Eve. Happy Holidays to everyone, if you enjoy please check out the _Coming of Age _series on my profile!

**A/N: **Another _Coming of _Age universe fiction but will stand alone. This story follows Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his children Anthony, Caitlyn, Timothy, Abigail and eventually his step-daughter Ziva through various Christmas celebrations, beginning the year Gibbs, Tony and Kate lost the rest fo their family. Goes in chronological order and I hope you enjoy my first ever Christmas fiction, much love x

**The Christmas Special**

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**Tannenbaum**

"Shhh, Anthony," Doctor Donald Mallard gently patted the back of the two year old on his lap, excitedly squeaking as his baby sister lay – finally asleep – on the sofa beside them, "you'll wake Caitlyn, and we know how much trouble that will bring."

The boy murmured quietly against his shoulder as he slumped beside him, eyes wandering over the small, dull array of lights wrapped around the nicely scented pine a few feet away, "well its almost midnight and your father promised to be home for Christmas, so don't worry young man, he will be here soon I'm sure."

Ducky, as he preferred himself called, looked down at his wrist watch yet again, sighing at the tree himself as the boy on his lap murmured, pointing at the lights and squeaking as if to ask a question, "Christmas, Anthony, is a time of celebration for the birth of Christ. The story goes that... well I guess you're a bit young for that yet, eh? I suppose there's a lot of time to discuss these things when you're older."

The boy raised wide eyes to him and Ducky gave a small chuckle at the back of his throat, slowly and gently moving off of the couch carrying the boy to the tree. Anthony Devon Damien Gibbs reached out a hand and ducky saw the fingers gently brush their way over the pine needles and lights, almost in awe.

"You celebrate Christmas with family and friends, and house are decked out for miles around in much larger and brighter displays than that one my dear boy," Ducky gave a sigh as the child remained transfixed by the tree, "this house used to be so cheerful Anthony. Your poor mother, she..."

The doctor went silent with a rather fresh grief, not only for those departed but also for the father and the children that remained. Kelly, he imagined, would be rather put out at the lack of decorations and cheer in the house. She had always insisted that Jethro string up the lights – different every year on her orders – then decorate the tree and help cook the turkey dinner and the shortbread. This house was not seeing much cheer this year.

"She what, Duck?" Ducky Mallard didn't even pretend to be startled as a door clicked audibly in the distance and Jethro Gibbs himself made his presence known.

"She would have wanted you to have made a celebration of it," Ducky said quietly, turning away from the tree and at the same time alerting Anthony to his father's arrival, eliciting excited grabbing motions from the lad, "for Caitlyn and Anthony. And Kelly would..."

"I made it home for Christmas, Duck," the marine looked stern but Ducky could pick out the hurt little pieces beneath, "sorry you couldn't be home with your mother."

Ducky sighed and stepped forwards, patting the younger man on the shoulder, "You know as well as I that mother and I celebrate Christmas on the 24th, Jethro. Just be sure to take care of yourself and these glorious children of yours."

Jethro Gibbs nodded and patted the doctor on the back, watching him walk towards the hall for his coat, only to pause briefly in the corridor, "you will be sure to call if you need anything, won't you?"

Jethro tugged up the corners of his mouth and Ducky nodded, heading towards the door where Gibbs knew he would see himself out, "Hey Anthony, how's it goin'?"

The boy gurgled happily in response and Gibbs took him to the couch, rubbing a small circle on his daughters belly when he got there. Her breath came in even, small strides and he smiled to himself as he reached out towards the lonely looking tree he had placed in the corner.

A small few parcels had gathered themselves there without his consent, and eventually his own gifts to his children had made it to the pile. Thumbing through the cards he opened the ones from his father and his in-laws, setting them back on the couch with a teary sigh and slash to his eyes. Mike Franks card was next, which was odd considering Jethro had never picked him as the card giving type, and with almost no surprise he found a job offer tucked in between two sheets of cardboard. Shannon's friends had all written, and some of Kelly's had also sent cards, but Jethro placed them aside, not up to reading the sentiments within them. Anthony grabbed at all the cards with a two year olds curiousness and Gibbs almost choked on the laugh that tried to escape whilst he was still feeling sorrow.

As if sensing the mood, Anthony Gibbs began to crawl onto the lap of his dad, mumbling like his only wish was to wake up his sister. Gibbs smiled again and lifted the boy, offering him a gift which he tore at experimentally and gurgled in delight to when the wrapping ripped off.

Anthony smiled in delight and threw paper above his head, rolling in the pile he created as Caitlyn began to softly snuffle awake. Doctor Donald 'Ducky' Mallard turned from the scene, hiding from the family he was trying to keep an eye on. It seemed to the doctor that they would be alright, the three remaining Gibbs' sitting in the darkened room by their Christmas tree. He hoped that they would be.


	2. It's a Wonderful Life

**It's a Wonderful Life**

Christmas with Dana Marie Gibbs, Ducky had decided, was much more homely that the last few he had experienced at the Gibbs household. The woman was busily chopping at a board in the kitchen, every few minutes turning to check the oven as the timer, which had been broken for what seemed like a century, rang experimentally in shrill little bursts.

"Oh, Anthony! Anthony, you!" Dana's face twisted in frustration as she turned to the corner of the busy kitchen and dining area to once again see the oldest of the Gibbs boys puttering about where he was not supposed to be, "Oh, Doctor Mallard, I'm so sorry to ask, but could you please see to the boys?"

Ducky raised himself from the dining table all decked out in its festive settings with a chuckle and scooped up Anthony as he attempted to yet again stick his foot on his brothers stomach, "of course my dear, you are quite busy enough without having to deal with troublesome Anthony! And please, it's Ducky."

"Ducky then," she smiled charmingly and watched her one year old son Timothy breathe huffily on the ground, tucked nicely on his play mat under an abundance of hanging toys, "I don't know what it is with those two, but ever since Tim came along Anthony has been wandering all over the place just to get to him."

"Ah yes, sibling rivalry," Ducky smiled at the girl as she turned back to her cooking, listening to Jethro as he hammered away at the border of the house outside, fixing up the last of the lights that had been pulled down in the previous nights storm, "now Anthony, if I put you down and you promise to stay away from your brother for a while, I think I can swing you a gift a little early my lad!"

Anthony beamed and in his proudest display, hopped off of Ducky's lap hands on his hips, "I promise Ducky, can we do it now?"

"Hmm, I think maybe we should wait for Caitlyn to wake up and then have a go," Ducky smiled at the boy though his face fell a little, and as Anthony ran off to the living room shouted after him, "and don't go waking her up!"

Dana laughed from her position at the counter and then blew her fringe from her face, "you're very good with him Ducky, I shall have to call you next time he decides to throw one of his tantrums at me."

"Oh no thank you dear," Ducky chuckled himself as he straightened a knife and stood back on his feet, "Anthony's tantrums could rival a nuclear war. I shall much prefer to go entertain him whilst you finish, and if you need a hand do call me."

Dana thanked him and Ducky disappeared into the living room, Timothy returning to a peaceful sleep and Caitlyn still napping upstairs. As the doctor reached the living room he discovered the oldest Gibbs boy staring puzzled at the television.

"What, Anthony, are we doing in here?" Ducky pulled his trousers slightly to sit down, and Anthony turned towards him, for once ignorant of Kate quietly snoozing on the other couch, "oh! _It's a Wonderful Life_! How marvellous."

"Why aren't there any colours?" five year old Anthony scratched at his head and cocked it to the side, looking back at the movie as the music began to play over the fading opening credits, "are they sick or something?"

Ducky laughed, "No dear boy, a long time ago when movies were made, there wasn't any colour on the televisions, so they were all black and white. Sometimes, the films were even silent if you go back far enough."

"They didn't speak either? Were they mu-mu-muuu," the boy tried to sound it out and ducky prompted him with the end, "yeah, mute. Were they that?"

"No, the television just didn't have sound either," Ducky left his explanation simple as the movie started, capturing the boys' attention. He asked a multitude of questions as children were prone to do, leaning against the older man taking everything in with interest. When his father walked in he merely nodded at his presence, entranced by the film. Jethro smiled and kissed the top of his head, moving to help in the kitchen.

When the film was finally done Anthony seemed to break the spell he had been under. Dashing into the kitchen to where all the adults had settled, he ducked under the hand of Mr McGee as he tried to pat him on the head and ran straight to his father, "Daddy, can we have Christmas like in movies, all black and white and smiley?"

Jethro chuckled at his son and pat him on the head, "anything you want Kiddo, but first I think you should say hello to Mr and Mrs McGee, they arrived here half an hour ago."

"Yes, Dad," Anthony shuffled over to the McGee's and tried not to bunch up his face, he wasn't really that fond of the McGee's, "Hello, do you want me to get Katie?"

His dad gave him a nod of approval and Anthony ran back to the living room, roughly shaking his sister's shoulder as she tried to roll away from him, "Katie, I have to tell you something, there's this old person movie and it's really great..."


End file.
